Desperately Seeking Success

Dave Edwards is hoping Wolves can recreate the spirit of 2008/09 with an ambitious and hungry team as the start of the new Sky Bet League One season looms into view at Preston on Saturday (3pm).

Edwards, keen to make his mark this season after putting some troublesome injuries behind him, believes the time is right under Head Coach Kenny Jackett to start a new era of success in the same way Mick McCarthy did with the team which won the Championship title.

While he knows it will be tough, particularly with Wolves seen as the big scalp in League One this season, Edwards is confident the support of the club’s fans will also play its part in pushing the team towards success.

"Kenny's revolutionised everything, especially in terms of our unity - we're all as hungry as each other, we all desperately want to win,” said Edwards.

“We haven't really had this mentality for the last couple of years.

“It's really important as well that we build a good relationship with the fans, and I think we started that against Real Betis on Saturday - they were brilliant.

“Our relationship was them was a bit disjointed at times last year - which was obviously our fault - but if we can start the season well and keep the fans with us I really think we can replicate the 08/09 season.

"That was a great year - the whole club was buzzing that year and I really hope we can create something like that this season.”

Edwards continued: "It's a similar feeling to 08/09 - I was one of the younger lads then, at 22.

“We had a lot of lads of a similar sort of age - I don't think any of us had played in the Premier League with the exception of Jody Craddock, and we were all really hungry for it.

“It's like that again now - maybe with even younger players, a lot of the lads are around 19 or 20, so if you scatter the squad with the right older, more experienced players - and I put myself in that category now at 27 - hopefully we can nurture the young lads along and I really hope it will be the makings of a successful season for us."

Edwards missed sections of last season with a hamstring and then foot injury, and has been working hard during the summer to make sure he is fully prepared for the rigours of a League One season.

"It's the first pre-season in years that I haven't dropped out of a session or missed a game, so it's been nice to have a successful pre-season.

“I played three games last week, which I wasn't expecting to do, but to come through the other side is pleasing, and I'm really happy with my fitness.

“Hopefully I can sharpen up now, because I was out on my feet on Saturday after doing so much running, but it was a good feeling and I'm really looking forward to the start of the season now."

And while that Betis fixture brought Wolves’ only defeat of a transitional pre-season, Edwards says confidence levels are high.

“We're disappointed that we lost the Betis game with sloppy goals - two definite ones which we gifted to them really, but they're a very good team.

“They play the Spanish way, which is obviously totally different to what we expect to come up against in the league, but I think we played well in spells and overall it's been a really good, positive pre-season."